Minutes of the PEI Public Transit Coalition Annual General Meeting, April 27, 2006

Annual General Meeting of the PEI Public Transit Coalition

Thursday, April 27, 2006
Basilica Rec Centre
12:00 PM

Members Present: David and Aaron (PTC), Jim (T2000), Erkki (ResourcesWest), Marg (CNIB), Irene and Matt (PEISF), Lisa (AHRSC), Annie (PEISCF), Leo (PeopleFirst), Ann (CooperInstitute), Gus Clinton and Bill Trenholme (SourisTownCouncil), Ron (PEISF), Morley (EKCE)

Meeting Minutes:

Agenda for the meeting was as follows:

Introductions
Approval and/or additions to Agenda
Public Education and Outreach
Report on Social Equity and Public Transit Project
Update from Bobby Dunn of Trius Tours/Charlottetown Transit
UPEI U-Pass initiative status
Update on Transport 2000 Fall meeting in Charlottetown
Update on request to have Provincial government undertake a PEI public transit feasability study
Other Business


Introductions:

David- gave a brief rundown of the Coalition, its member groups and its activities in the past few months as well as over the course of the last few years (remember its inception was November 2000)

- David- mentioned our successful workshops in West Prince and Souris from March and about moving forward with community coalitions in those areas (see Erkki’s comments later on)

- also- a note of reminder about the Federation of PEI Municipalities meeting in Souris on Monday, May 1, 2006


Approval and/or additions to Agenda:

- as usual, the agenda is never followed to a “T”- Erkki Pohjolainen included under the “Other Business” heading to discuss movement in West Prince toward funding and approving a Feasability Study for that region


Public Education and Outreach:


David (and Aaron)- the PTC ran a successful Earth Day event in co-operation with Trius Tours/Charlottetown Transit with all proceeds from the “Ride the Bus for a Loonie Day” going towards our promotional and public educational activities for Island-wide public transit- local and national politicians were on hand to celebrate the event at the Confed Centre- coverage by the Guardian as well as CBC Radio 1 “Main Street”

- contact made with Ministers Gail Shea (Transportation and Public Works), Elmer MacFadyen (Community and Cultural Affairs), Philip Brown (Tourism) as well as MLA Wayne Collins of Winsloe-West Royalty- a media package similar to the literature review and transit history handed out at the workshops was presented to all MLAs- currently we are sending this same package to Island municipal leaders (Mayors, Chairpeople, Councillors)

- E-News- finally all member groups and individuals are on a mailing list- you can check out the blog we have online at http://www.peiptc.blogspot.com- also- back issues of the E-News are also available on the blogspot


Update from Bobby Dunn of Trius Tours/Charlottetown Transit:

- Bobby Dunn, manager of the Charlottetown Transit, was our guest speaker-

- Bobby- some new angles/advances that Charlottetown Transit is considering- a focus on Youth- school students (at the Prince St. School- a bus ride initiative as well as an introduction to the routes for students- to show them how the fare system works)- looking to promote student transit in co-operation with school administration
-Stratford and Cornwall are looking to undertake a feasability study together instead of relying on a survey of people’s views
-Bobby- bus shelters- under federal budget announcements Charlottetown Transit should get 25 bus shelters for commencement in the fall 2006- also- they are looking at establishing a main depot apart from the front of the Confed Centre/Queen St.- how to establish a focal point downtown
Bobby- arrival of two new buses by June 15- two more in July, and a final bus in August
- finally- the cheque for proceeds from Earth Day Loonie Day for the Public Transit Coalition was presented by Bobby to David and Aaron


UPEI U-Pass Initiative Status:

David- UPEI U-pass is on the board again at the university- Environmental Studies Professor Almut Beringer is starting a task force to increase support for a U-Pass in time for a fall vote- a YES vote would mean the implementation of a U-Pass for January 2007

Update on Transport 2000 Fall Meeting in Charlottetown:

Jim Munves- in October 2006, Transport 2000 Atlantic will be holding their fall meeting in Charlottetown- they hope to invite some transit managers from Halifax and Moncton (Codiac Transit) to speak to interested public and answer transit questions
David- PTC is looking at combining this meeting with a Symposium/Summit on Public Transit and its Health benefits the Friday before the T2000 meeting ( apparently the T2000 meeting will be held on a Saturday)- more to come on this


Update on request to have Provincial government undertake a PEI public transit feasability study:

Erkki Pohjolainen- at a recent Growth Symposium in West Prince- public transit issues were broached- Transportation West group promoted Ride-Share and car-pooling initiatives which fell on deaf ears- so- at Tuesday’s meeting in West Prince- the idea of public transit was again brought up- what did it mean to the group attending the meeting?- it was decided that it would be right to go ahead and examine the ways and the means of conducting an Implementation Plan- Erkki suggests that when David and Aaron go to meet with Gail Shea that representatives from both Eastern Kings as well as West Prince be present to voice their opinions and to press for such a study- Erkki intends to speak at an upcoming Summerside West meeting about public transit and about Western PEI PTC’s goal of getting an Implementation Plan in place for the region
Errki- an important issue for that region (West Prince) is student outmigration- can this be combined with the issue of Seniors Housing and accessibility in the region to help bring about a study?- an ENTRA-like analysis of the factors and needs involved in Western PEI would suit a number of core groups (students, seniors, agricultural workers, commuters)

-as a follow up, Aaron and David will be meeting with MLA Wayne Collins to best determine how to approach the upcoming meeting with Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea later this month- stay tuned for an update from this meeting (week of May 15)


Other Business:

Jim Munves- Jim brought to my attention some questions about the maps for the Charlottetown Transit service- could we get BIG maps put in key places/hub centres?- also- perhaps some smaller scale but sizeable maps could be put in Coffee Shops, at UPEI, at the Farmer’s Market, and at both Confederation Court and Charlottetown Malls
- this is another project to go ahead with as well as a resizing/restructuring of the current schedule package- right now it is a bit too cumbersome- how can we best downsize it to perhaps one double sided page?- also- David suggested that the system in Charlottetown take advantage of the public transit schedule CYLINDERS which can hold schedules and rotate on an axis for patrons to look for times and places

- ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ADJOURNED AT 2:00 PM.